The invention described herein is a new and distinct dwarf variety of St. Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum). I discovered this plant in a group of seedlings of unknown parentage, but which are believed to have resulted from the self-breeding of the patented variety `Seville`, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,097, also known as Pursley's Seville. The new variety was selected by me as a single variant plant from a crop of the parent variety being grown under my direction and control at my home in St. Petersburg, Fla. This new grass was observed by me to be a distinct, new dwarf type, with consistent fast growth and with a deeper green color than other known types of St. Augustine grass. I assigned to this new genotype the number 601 to identify it as I divided and expanded it as a new variety.
I proceeded to expand my new seedling by vegetative division using two or three node sections to produce new pots and trays of the `Dwarf #601`. The new grass continued to thrive, proving to be truly a new dwarf, low growing type of St. Augustine grass not previously known. It consistently maintained low growth and short blades, with most of the blades extending laterally rather than upwardly as is common in most St. Augustine varieties. These traits are maintained when propagated asexually.
As indicated above, asexual reproduction of my new `Dwarf #601` was performed by me by vegetative division in St. Petersburg, Fla., and in Manatee County, Fla.
As a varietal name for the new grass, I have chosen `Dwarf #601`.